


Awaken

by Sparklez112



Category: Heathers (1988), Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Sleepovers, Veronica is enlightened, only because they're watching modern movies lol, shit gets real
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 21:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15916293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparklez112/pseuds/Sparklez112
Summary: A week after joining the Heathers, Veronica is invited to one of their routine sleepovers. Initially, she’s dreading it, but slowly her perception of the girls come crashing down.





	Awaken

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: This work contains child abuse, as well as a mention of rape.
> 
> I've been working on this concept for a while, and it was an emotional roller coaster oh boy. It was a lot of fun to figure out the dynamic between the Heathers in this fic, and how Veronica fit into the mix. I hope you guys enjoy!

**_Dear Diary,_**

**_I don’t know why I’m so stressed that I don’t own a blue pyjama top, because I feel like that’s the least of my worries tonight._**

Veronica sighed, setting down her pen to riffle through her pyjama drawer for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes. She wasn’t really sure why: it’s not like new clothes were magically going to materialize.

_If only the Heathers were less concerned with their image and more concerned with being good people._

There were advantages to being in the Heathers, of course. Like not being mocked or push just walking in the halls, and having people look up instead of down on you was a good feeling.

But they were _so freaking intense_. For being the ones at the top of the food chain, they sure didn’t know how to chill out. Veronica caught the worst of when she went to her first party with them the night before. After a very uncomfortable car ride with Heather Chandler repeatedly insisting she not “fuck anything up”, the night dragged on forever. Every step the Heathers took, every singular movement they made seemed immaculately planned out like some sort of creepy synchronised coven.

She resented all of the bullying they put Martha through, and their vapid gossip was something Veronica didn’t want to be involved with.

Watching The Princess Bride and eating jiffy pop with Martha sounded like a much more appealing way to spend her Saturday night. But when Heather Chandler demands you show up to McNamara’s house in pyjamas and prepare to stay the night, you can’t really say no unless you want your head mounted on the wall.

Veronica reluctantly settled on a plain black t-shirt with a pair of blueish-purple plaid pyjama pants and hoped she wouldn't be shunned for going against the dress code.

She tossed and overnight bag over her shoulder and considered grabbing her diary, but decided that the girls might read it and if they did it would basically be social suicide. Instead, she added a few words:

**_Maybe I’m overreacting. Even though I’ve been hanging out with the Heathers for a week and they still seem like power-hungry barbie dolls, maybe a more intimate setting will change things?_ **

**_Or maybe they were hanging out with me just so they could get me alone and skin me alive._ **

**_One thing’s for sure: If someone decides to call Martha ‘Dumptruck’ at any point during the sleepover they’re definitely waking up with their hair chopped off._ **

With that, Veronica shut her journal and made her way to the front door to leave the house. Heather’s mansion was a twenty minute walk away and Veronica watched as the houses got bigger and more pristine as she approached the upper-class section of the neighbourhood.

Heather’s house stood far away from the main road. It was white with large pillars serving as foundation and spotless glass windows making the thing seem impossibly fancy. She couldn’t of felt more out of place if she were going to knock on the door to the white house.

She stopped once she got in front of the large oak door. _Goodbye to my sanity for the next twelve hours…_

Veronica gave three slow knocks, and after a few seconds of waiting a familiar face answered. “Hey, Veronica!”

It was McNamara who answered the door, which made sense considering it was her house. Her usual curly blonde hair was pulled back into two braids, and she was wearing yellow cotton pyjamas patterned with white stars. 

“Hi, Heather.” Veronica found herself returning the blonde’s smile even though she was still nervous, but seeing Heather excited eased her worries a bit. McNamara was definitely more likely to show her emotions then the other two, but it still wasn’t something that happened often.

“Heather and Heather are already here, it’s Heather’s turn to choose a movie.” _Sometimes everyone having the same name makes everything confusing._

Despite her confusion Veronica nodded, stepping into the entrance as Heather shut the door behind her. She took in her surroundings: a large chandelier hung above her head and two tall staircases lead to a second floor. Paintings lined the walls, and they looked like they could be worth millions of dollars.  
Heather led the way, passing under the stairs and down a short hallway that opened up into a ginormous living room. Heather and Heather were on a grey couch looking through a dvd binder, but looked up when they heard footsteps approaching.

Veronica pursed her lips together as hard as she could to conceal a laugh.

Heather Duke was wearing green silk pyjamas, accented with gold buttons. Her hair was done up in a bun which kind of made her look like some rich beverly hills housewife, yet it sort of worked for her.

Chandler was outfitted the most extravagantly, which Veronica supposed was fitting. She donned A red night robe with floral patterns, that red scrunchie still in her auburn hair though it was still curled down her shoulders instead of up like the other girls.

Even in pyjamas, they couldn’t help but go all out.

Chandler quirked an eyebrow. “Is there a problem?”

Heather’s intense blue eyes broke her out of her thoughts and the smile she held dropped. “Erm-” Veronica coughed, “No, there isn't. What are we watching?”

“I’m in the mood for some horror today…” Duke said, looking up at McNamara for her reaction, though Veronica didn’t catch what it was because she was standing behind her. 

She flipped a few pages, eyes lighting up as she slipped the disk out of the slot. “Hey, remember seeing this Heather?”

The redhead made a face. “That was an awful horror movie. I don’t even think I flinched once.”

“Well, duh. It’s not supposed to be scary in that way. It’s more about the world building and some of the gore is pretty creative.” Heather defended her choice, inspecting the disk. “Let’s watch this one.” 

Chandler gave an annoyed huff, but said nothing more as she placed the binder to the side. McNamara grabbed the dvd from Heather’s hands and wearily read the title. “The Purge: Election Year.” She looked to Veronica with curious eyes, “Have you seen this movie before?”

Veronica shook her head. “I’m more of a ‘Nightmare On Elm Street’ kind of girl.”

“Finally, someone who appreciates some good horror. Night of the Living Dead was better though.” Chandler hummed. On one hand, Veronica was shocked that Heather was actually giving her a (sort of) compliment, but on the other, she wasn’t surprised in the slightest that she liked to watch movies with people getting murdered.

Things were going good so far. Not gossip, no pressure. Veronica just hoped things stayed that way.

McNamara placed the movie in the player and fiddled with the TV remote. “Since there’s only room for three on the couch, you can take my place Veronica. I’ll sit on the floor.”

She looked between the couch and the blonde with uncertainty and shook her head again. “That’s okay, Heather. I like the ground better anyways.”

McNamara gave a grateful glance, one that almost looked shy. It faded fast when she turned her attention back to the task at hand.

Veronica pondered that for a second. She never thought any of the Heathers to be shy with how they were basically watched at every second of the day. They demanded everyone’s attention, and that’s what they got. McNamara was expressing more personality in the five minutes Veronica’s spent with her that night then she’d seen from her in all of her years of high school.

“Scared we’re going to bite, Veronica?” Chandler’s spoke sharply. Duke snickered beside her, adding:  
“Maybe she’s worried her cheap clothes will shed onto the couch.”

Veronica shrugged, wondering if McNamara was a special case or was just in an especially good mood that night. Maybe she got some new shoes or something.

After the cheerleader finished setting up the movie, she handed Veronica a blanket and a throw pillow before sinking into the left side of the sofa. Chandler was in the middle, as always, and Duke was to the right. 

They were such a girl group it hurt.  
What would they name their first single? _We’re Superficial and Proud?_

Veronica managed to make herself comfy, propping the pillow up on the leg of the sofa which supported her back and head. The blanket was wrapped around her legs.

The movie started silently, though she could tell McNamara was squirming uncomfortably on the couch behind her. Veronica didn’t think the scene was that creepy (the most she got from it was that the sound mixing was horrible) but for someone who was easily frightened or disgusted by blood she saw see how it could be disturbing.

Honestly, as exposition was being spouted on screen Veronica was more drawn to the Heathers themselves then the film. Sometimes she forgot that they were human and did normal things. 

Heather Duke had a notebook in her lap, and she was tracing her pen over the pages absentmindedly but it didn’t look like she was writing anything. The leader of the group was busy filing her nails, and McNamara was eating from a bowl of popcorn and would occasionally pass it to Duke. She only took one piece at a time but Heather seemed pleased nonetheless. 

“Did you want some?” Heather must’ve caught onto her staring, and reached for the table where similar bowls sat. “Try this kind, it’s my favourite.”

Veronica scooped some popcorn into her mouth and was immediately hit by ten different flavours she wasn’t expecting. It wasn’t bad: definitely fancy.

_So basically, Heathers sleepovers are pretty normal, just with rich people features and more angst._

“You know, it’s funny how they mention the ties between The Purge and religion,” Duke spoke up, referring to a conversation they were having in the movie, “Since the main idea of the Purge is to ‘cleanse’ the population of its violent thoughts, and purity is like the whole point of religion.” 

“God Heather, you’re such a nerd.” Chandler rolled her eyes, setting down her file.

Duke muttered something under her breath.  
“-Is that a diary, Heather?” Veronica asked, partially wanting de defuse the situation and partially curious. She huffed in reply.

“How soft do you think I am? Of course not.” 

Veronica didn’t understand why she was getting so defensive. “Then what is it?”

“If you must know, I bring it to committee meetings and take notes. It helps me concentrate.” Her sentence gradually got quieter as it went on, and she didn’t tear her eyes away from the television.

That was more in line with what Veronica figured the party would be like, with Chandler being bitchy and Duke mimicking her. But even that wasn’t entirely black and white, was it?

There was a lot to unpack: Heather expressing her thoughts on the movie and enjoying it, maybe she liked discussing media like that? The leader shutting that down with an insult, and Duke getting defensive afterwards. 

Veronica decided it was going to take more time to figure out the dynamic between the three of them then what it looked like on the surface level.

A few more minutes of the movie played, until everyone’s attention was broken by a man walking into the living room.

“Hello, girls!” Veronica recognized him as Heather’s dad, although she’s only seen him from far away. He shared happy hazel eyes and a smile with his daughter, who perked up when she noticed him. 

He placed a teapot on the coffee table, along with a few cups. “I thought you might get thirsty…” He trailed off, facing Veronica. “Last time I checked there weren’t four of you, was there?” He scratched his head, and Veronica genuinely couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not.

“Dad, this is Veronica Sawyer. She’s been hanging out with us lately.” Heather introduced.

Mr. McNamara politely extended an arm to shake her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, miss Veronica.” The corners of her lips turned up as she returned the gesture.

“Is your colour black, then?” Veronica didn’t understand what he was asking at first, but when Chandler chimed in with “It’s blue” she understood and confirmed.

He momentarily walked off, rummaging through a drawer and returning with a necklace. “I’ve been holding onto this one for a while. It’s only a little scuffed, but I insisted only the best jewelry gets displayed.”

The necklace was really freaking pretty. Attached to the chain was a sapphire in the shape of a teardrop, silver spikes surrounding it. 

“It’s beautiful,” Veronica complemented, “I didn’t know your company sold necklaces, Mr. McNamara.”

“Rings are still our specialty, but we’ve expanded a bit,” He explained, slipping the necklace into Veronica’s hand. “Take it, I insist.” He folded her fingers over the piece of jewelry, securing it in her hold.

She thanked him, as he bid the girls a good rest of their night and gave his daughter an affectionate pat on the shoulder before leaving.

As soon as he was gone, the leader glared directly into Veronica’s eyes. “Don’t think this changes your status in the group. You’re the same as before, but now you have something appealing to accessorize with.”

Veronica’s eyes darted away from Heather’s threatening stare, instead admiring the gem for a moment. “What is my status, anyways?” She hadn’t meant it in a challenging way, she just wasn’t entirely sure what her place in the group was and getting invited to this sleepover really wasn’t clearing things up.

“You’re expendable.” Heather dropped her hostile stare and smirked instead, and honestly Veronica didn’t know which was worse. “If you mess up or aren’t useful anymore, you’re getting booted out to crawl back to your lameass friends.”

Veronica pushed down the anger simmering in her chest at the mention of her friends. She knew blowing up would only fuel the fire, and she decided her mission for tonight was to see the Heathers beyond their surface level. 

She took a second to put her necklace in her bag, planning what to say next. She decided to go with an understanding approach. 

“I mean, it makes sense that I wouldn’t be a part of the group yet. You guys seem so tight knit that I’m surprised you even let me in in the first place.”

Heather’s expression turned neutral, which still couldn’t help but look faintly threatening. “You aren’t worthless _yet_. Just keep forging stuff and don’t act like a lost puppy when we take you to parties.”

Duke added to the conversation. “People act like we’re so unapproachable, but maybe if they had half a brain cell and some conviction we’d be more lenient.”

Curiosity overruled Veronica’s desire to keep things civil.  
“When did you three meet?”

The Heathers exchanged glances, but it was McNamara who spoke up first after taking a sip of her tea.

“We knew of each other for a while. We didn’t really get close until middle school, Heather and Heather” She pointed to Duke and Chandler respectively, “Had gym together and bonded over skipping it. Eventually, I started talking to them in the classes they were in with me and we started hanging out. I don’t think our friendship set in until Heather’s birthday party-” Her eyes sparkled at the memory, but Chandler gave her a look that made the cheerleader stop talking and take another drink instead.

“Alright…” Veronica searched for a new topic, interested in finding new things out about the group.

“Do you guys ever get tired of wearing the same colour everyday?”

Veronica didn’t really understand when all three Heathers looked at her like she had sprouted a tail in front of them.

She tried specifying. “I understand it’s good for your image and everything, but doesn’t it get tiring after a while? Does it ever get insulting being referred to as colours instead of your actual names?”

Heather Duke rolled her eyes. “You clearly don’t see things the way we do.”  
McNamara started and explanation. “It’s a little about what other people think, or at least it was at first. But now, it just doesn’t feel right to dress differently. It shows that we’re a united front.”

“What I want to know is when you decided to become chatty!” Chandler feigned a sweet voice.

“Is there something wrong with that, Heather?”

“You’re pushing your luck, Veronica-”

The argument was cut short by Duke shushing them both. “I like this part.”

_I guess Heather Chandler’s the only one with the real problem here. Figures._

A chase scene was happening, McNamara flinching at the sight of blood almost spilling her tea onto her lap. That earned her glares from Chandler who was trying to paint her nails. 

“What do you guys think you would do during the purge?” Duke asked, “Hypothetically.”

“For starters, I wouldn’t be stupid like these people are.” Chandler gestured to the TV, where a car crash led to one of the characters getting kidnapped. “Idiots!”

She reached her unpainted hand into the popcorn bowl and launched some at the screen, a few kernels bouncing off.

Veronica gave a small chuckle, while neither of the others seemed phased.

“I don’t know if I’d be brave enough to go outside...” McNamara admitted, subtly trying to move the popcorn bowl closer to the edge of the table. “It would be cool to go somewhere away from everyone else, like the top of a hill or something and camp out there.”

Duke turned to Veronica for her answer.

“Uhh, I haven’t really thought about it. Steal some shit, maybe?”

The girl tapped her pen thoughtfully, looking zoned out of the conversation.

“...How about you?”

Heather snapped out of her trance. “Me?” She looked surprised for half a second before her features hardened. “It would be cool to break into an amusement park and mess with everything, I guess.”

Something was telling Veronica that she had put way more thought into it then that.  
Still, the subject was dropped and the movie continued. 

She tried to actually pay attention instead of people-watching. For it’s part, the movie was getting interesting and high-stakes with it’s rescue mission. 

Maybe a little too high stakes, because she could hear McNamara’s breathing quicken. 

“Is the movie getting to you, Heather?” Veronica faced her, only to find her gaze not on the screen and instead on the clock on the wall. Colour faded into her cheeks at Veronica’s words.

Chandler opened her mouth, and Veronica assumed she was going to scold her but instead she said “Let me start your nails while Heather’s are drying.”

The leader’s own nails were finished (naturally, they were red) and it looked like Duke’s were drying after a layer of black was applied.

Veronica watched as Chandler unscrewed the cap of a white polish and started applying it. She was really focused: it was clear it was something she enjoyed on a deeper level then ‘I just want to look pretty’. It also managed to calm Heather down, her breathing steady again. 

It was thoughtful of her to help her out like that, even if it was something Veronica thought she’d never do.

Chandler continued doing both girl’s nails. She finished Duke’s by putting dark green crackle polish over the black base, and after the white set she did a yellow french tip on McNamara. 

Then a creaking noise resonated, followed by a door slamming shut. 

Heather jolted her hand away from Chandler’s hold, her whole body tensing up like she was afraid of something.  
“Heather?” Veronica confusedly looked between her in the door, but nobody bothered to fill her in on what was going on.

“Mac.” It was said cautiously by Duke, who was looking her directly in her eyes.

She wasn’t responding. It was as if she was frozen, completely taken out of her surroundings.  
Until a figure stalked into the living room.

“Heatherr-” The end was slightly slurred, and a woman wobbled into the doorway. Veronica assumed she was Heather’s mother, though not much of her appearance gave that away except for the blonde hair that barely grazed her shoulders.

“Oh.” Her tone turned cold at the sight of the living room. “Hello, girls.”

McNamara snapped out of her daze, managing to stammer out a “Mother…”

“Nice to see you, _Linda_.” Chandler interrupted, using the same feigned sweetness as before but faltered on the women’s name.

Anger flashed in Linda’s eyes but she managed to quickly compose herself. “I suppose I have you to thank for the popcorn all over my carpet?”

The redhead didn't miss a beat. “ It’s only fitting you’d be annoyed, with how hard you work to keep this house clean… Oh, wait? Isn't it your maid who does that? Or do you decide to push that responsibility onto your daughter too?”

The lady’s eyes darted to the mentioned Heather, who looked like she simultaneously saw a ghost and was about to throw up all the fancy popcorn she’d eaten.

But then she noticed Veronica.  
“Who are you?” She asked flatley.

Immediately, everyone’s eyes were on her. 

“V-Veronica. Sawyer.” She tried not to stumble on her words. The amount of tension that suddenly appeared threw her off guard.

Linda took a step towards Veronica, stumbling once again. She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve never heard of you. When did you meet my daughter?”

Veronica didn't even have to turn her head to feel two glares seeping into the back of her head. Duke and Chandler, no doubt.

_Shit. Everyone here’s on edge. What the hell is going on?_

“Well, she's been in classes with me since grade school…” Veronica spoke slowly, “We didn't hang out until I bumped into her in the bathroom a week ago.”

Heather’s mom let out a cackle akin to a disney villain. It sent shivers down Veronica’s spine.

“I hope you weren't in there whoring yourself out again, Heather.”

McNamara's eyes widened. “Mom! Not-”

“Shut your mouth.” Her mocking tone changed to an angry one in an instant, and Heather complied. 

“Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to get called by the school, being lectured on giving proper sex education to you? I raised you better then to be a slut. Let me guess, you were skipping class too? That makes you a stupid slut.”

Veronica couldn't stand this. Heather’s eyes were glossy, with every passing word her mother said her features twisted more and more into something she never associated with Heather.

Desperate. Pleading. Terrified.

“That's. Enough.” Chandler’s teeth were gritted.

Linda made another move: this time, towards her daughter. 

Veronica would never forget the way McNamara burrowed herself into the couch, flinching wildly.

Before anything happened Duke was on her feet and standing between them both. “Get the hell away from her!”

The woman stepped backwards to everyone’s relief.  
Her voice softened, barely over a whisper. “Heather, come help your mother.”

McNamara lifted her head from the couch cushion. “I have to help her.” She explained, her voice rough and groggy. “She can't make it up the stairs without my help.”

Both Heathers spoke at the same time.  
“That's not-”  
“You shouldn't go-”

The cheerleader stood up like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.  
Even so, she grabbed her mother’s hand and guided her out of the room as if she’d done it a thousand times before.

Tense silence filled the room. Veronica was still processing what had just happened.

Duke gawked at the door. “We should've…”  
Her fist clenched, and she briskly turned around. “Why didn't you stop her?!”

“SHUT UP, Heather!”

Whenever Heather Chandler said those words before, Veronica always saw it as a cruel way to demonstrate her power in the group and show who the leader was.

This time, she noticed the intense concern laced in her voice. It was hard to see it the same way.  
Thankfully, the two didn’t start fighting and Duke simply trudged back to her place on the couch. She slammed open her journal and fiercely scribbled on a page so hard the pen might’ve snapped. Chandler muttered curses under her breath, clenched knuckles turning white. 

The Heathers were absolutely livid. And so was Veronica.

She pulled her knees to her chest, thoughts and questions swirling in her mind. Is Heather okay? Does this happen everyday? Why would she help her mother up the stairs after being berated by her?

Veronica’s parents had always been supportive and offered advice where they could, without forcing her to do anything. They definitely weren't perfect, but even when they fought it never escalated to anything near what just happened.

And Heather didn’t even do anything to provoke her! She just walked in the door and decided to start slut shaming her daughter!

When McNamara scurried back into the room, the tension morphed into concern. The girl’s face was bright pink, but the most unsettling part was the smile that was plastered onto her lips.

_She’s closing up. I don’t blame her, but I feel so bad…_

She took her seat, and immediately the three started whispering amongst each other. Since McNamara was sitting closest to her she could hear what she was saying, but it wasn’t the case for the other two.

“.... Happened?”

“It’s not important.”

“... ...Better … Do that.”

“Heather….. Not…”

“Guys, I don’t want to do this right now. Veronica-”

McNamara shifted her sight to the girl on the floor, bringing her voice up to normal volume. “Veronica! I’m… I’m really sorry you had to hear that.”

Veronica gave the most encouraging smile she could. “It’s okay, Heather. You don’t have to apologize.”

Heather took a second to rest her head on the side of the couch. When she did, Duke and Chandler started giving Veronica weird looks. 

The redhead mouthed “Go away!” while the brunette shooed her with her hand.

Veronica understood. They wanted her gone so they could get her to open up.  
“Uh, Heather? Where’s your bathroom?”

“Up the stairs, first door on the left.” Duke answered easily, and even though she wasn’t the Heather she was asking she left anyways.

She walked out the door, stopping when she was out of sight.  
And pressed her ear against the wall.

She admitted spying wasn’t the most moral thing to do, but if somebody had told Veronica five hours ago that the Heathers could be comforting she would’ve laughed in their face.  
Yet, here she was. It was happening. She wasn’t going to miss this.

“Veronica’s right, you know,” The muffled voice of Chandler spoke, which were words Veronica never thought she’d hear come from her mouth. “It’s not your fault she’s like this.”

“It’s embarrassing.” She pictured a pout on the blonde’s face.

“Mac, look at me.” The leader ordered, but not in a stern or bossy way. “Talk to us. What did she say?”

McNamara caved. “She didn’t say much more about me.” A pause. “She started insulting you guys. And I couldn’t, I didn’t even try and defend you…”

“Don’t beat yourself up. It would’ve been dumb to try and defend us, she could’ve hurt you.” Duke jumped in.

Veronica barely heard a soft sigh through the wall. “It would hurt less if she were saying things about me that weren’t true. I’m not very smart, and I did have sex with Kurt in the bathroom.”

“Heather… you didn’t even want to have sex with him then. Anyways, if she’s gonna be a bitch about it then it’s none of her business.”

The first sentence brought Veronica’s anger back to the surface. _What the fuck did Kurt do, and why did Chandler say it so nonchalantly?_

“I shouldn't let it get to me. I’m just so tired of it, and there’s nothing I can do to make it stop… Will it ever stop?”

She could hear Heather’s voice become watery. The room went quiet for a while, and Veronica exerted all of her self control to stop herself from peeking in and getting caught. 

It was the leader of the group who broke the silence.“You’re not alone in this. You’re a Heather, and you float above the people who are beneath you. You’re so much better than her and this.” 

McNamara’s small and quavering voice thanked her friends which seemed like the end of the conversation.

Honestly, Veronica was glad she stayed to listen. She was starting to regret thinking that the Heathers were mostly superficial. They weren’t really different then most teenagers: afraid to be vulnerable in front of other people.

But they had each other. 

Veronica waited a minute before heading back into the room. She immediately noticed that McNamara was now sitting (laying?) in Chandler’s place in the middle of the couch. Her head was resting on the redhead’s arm, and her legs were propped up on Duke’s lap. Neither of the girl’s looked entirely comfortable like that, but didn’t push her off or even look annoyed, which was what Veronica would’ve expected.

She decided it was probably best if she threw all of her expectations out of the window at this point.

The movie was almost over, but even Duke seemed disinterested and the horror vibes weren’t helping the mood.

Veronica reached for the dvd binder that was placed under the coffee table. “Let’s watch something else.”

Nobody objected as she searched for a better movie. She came across a disk for Tangled, something she remembered watching with Martha and decided it would work or at least be better than gore and death.

After inserting the disk and mashing the fast forward button on the remote, she heard an enthusiastic voice from behind her. “I love this movie!”

Veronica whirled around to face McNamara. Her eyes were a little red-rimmed, but she looked much calmer. Like she was safe.

Heather gleefully hummed along to 'When Will My Life Begin' and Veronica was happy that she helped her feel better more than anything.  
The Heathers weren’t as active as they had been before the incident. Everyone was winding down, Duke slowly sinking further into the cushion as time went on. McNamara’s humming got quieter until she was fighting to keep her eyes open (with how comfy she looked, Veronica didn’t blame her). 

During her sleepovers with Martha, they could stay up all night talking about school and current events. When they finally tried to go to bed they would break into fits of laughter that would never end.

It was a right of passage for any teenage girl.

She wondered if they were all exhausted from the party last night, if they didn’t want to get too buddy-buddy with Veronica in the room or if it was because of Heather’s mom. Maybe some combination of the three.

“Let’s get upstairs before you fall asleep on top of me.” Chandler shook Heather lightly, who’s eyes snapped open. She made a small noise of protest but got up anyways, Duke following after her.

After the group shuffled up the stairs and took a long (long, long, long) walk down a hallway the Heathers stopped as if it were second nature.

McNamara yawned before speaking. “This is my room, and those are the two guest rooms.” She gave a half hearted gesture to several doors surrounding them. “Sooo…” 

She looked up to Chandler, seemingly wanting advice.  
“I’m rooming with Heather, you two do whatever the hell you want.” She put a hand on the blonde’s shoulder to solidify who she was talking about.

“Goodnight, guys.” McNamara smiled sweetly, and the two walked into a room leaving Veronica in the hallway with Duke.

Duke didn’t say anything, only pushed open one of the guest bedroom doors and flung her stuff on a chair. Veronica found herself following after her, which made Heather raise an eyebrow.

“I thought you’d want your own room after sitting on the floor.”

Veronica playfully smiled. “I didn’t realize you wanted to sit with me so bad.” She teased, hoping up onto her side of the bed. 

“Please. You’re the one who followed me in here.” Heather deflected. She moved the comforters aside before slipping onto the bed as well.

Veronica ran her hand over the soft pillow her head was resting on. The bed was so comfy it felt like laying on top of pure cotton. It was big too, and Veronica guessed that the Heathers probably all shared a bed before she crashed their group.

Which was also something impossible to picture until after what happened that night.

“You know, you guys act way differently at school then you do here.”

“...Of course.” Heather acted as though this was the most obvious information in the world. And maybe it was, Veronica didn’t know what the heck was going on anymore.

“It comes with the territory of being popular, Veronica. I guess you wouldn’t really understand.”

“Now that I’m in with you guys, will I understand?”

Duke huffed. “For your sake, I hope so.”

_Maybe it would help if you stopped being so freaking vague,_ Veronica thought but didn’t say out loud partially because she didn’t want to make Heather uncomfortable before asking what she really wanted to ask, and partially because she already knew the answer deep down.

They acted less personal and more guarded because showing vulnerability meant showing weakness. And showing weakness at their level of popularity was practically asking to get walked all over.

Putting aside for now, Veronica meekly asked: “Is Heather, uh, McNamara, okay?”

Duke stiffened. “Now she is.”

“Does that happen often?”

“It’s not my place to tell you about this. Heather will when she’s ready, but I honestly wouldn’t bring it up with her until she wants to tell you.”

Veronica nodded. “That’s fair. Just let me know if there’s anything I can do to help out, okay?”

Duke pursed her lips together, not replying for a bit.  
“Um, Heather?”

Finally, she cleared her throat. “Heather… when she’s anxious or upset, what helps her a lot is physical contact. Like hugging or whatever.” She was stumbling on her words.  
“I’m horrible with that kind of thing, and Heather isn’t great either. Sometimes when it’s the three of us she’ll play with Heather’s hair, it really helps the both of them-” Duke paused, realizing the tangent she was going on and let out an annoyed grunt. “You don’t need the details, okay? All I’m saying is that it could be helpful if you’re more comfortable with it then us.” Once her speech was finished, Heather flipped over.

Veronica blinked. Hearing Duke be _flustered_ was one of the most jarring things she’d experienced all night. Usually, she was one to get to the point which made it even stranger.

Maybe she knew that helping McNamara was worth being a little vulnerable for.

“Yeah, definitely. Thanks for letting me know.” Veronica eased, trying to make Duke comfortable again. “You know, Heather, you’re fun to talk to. You’re a thoughtful person and it shows.”

She grimaced. “If you’re trying to get me to tell you more, then that definitely isn’t the compliment to do it with.”

“I’m not trying to pry. I mean it.” Veronica spoke confidently. 

She thought she could see Duke’s lips twitch into an almost-smile, before a pillow shot down and smacked her in the face.

“You’re a pillowcase. Go to bed.”

Veronica shook the pillow off, rolling her eyes but also grinning. “Goodnight, Heather.”

Both girls fell silent, slowly drifting off to sleep. Veronica was nearly to the point of dreaming until her ears perked up at a sound coming from the other room. 

She blinked, trying to listen closer until it hit her.  
Heather and Heather were _laughing_.

The laughs were genuine, not like their usual mocking huffs that Veronica had gotten used to at school when they would make fun of someone.  
McNamara’s laugh was more of a giggle. It was bright and high pitched, resembling a ringing bell.  
In contrast, Chandler’s laugh was deep and hearty. It wasn’t entirely fluid and it was uneven in places, which was a great change from how she usually spoke. 

Finally, Veronica could believe that they weren’t laughing about some poor freshman crying in the bathroom or a prank that was pulled on one of the mathletes.

She could picture Chandler brushing her fingers through McNamara’s blonde curls, as they laughed about something that happened at Chandler’s middle school birthday party.

Veronica slowly melted into a blissful slumber.

 

The morning came and went, the Heathers getting into some petty argument over waffles and pancakes which Veronica still couldn’t help but find humouring. With how serious they take literally everything, it was funny to see them getting dramatic over something so trivial. 

After breakfast, Veronica got ready to leave. McNamara walked her to the door, which made her consider how good of a host she’d been during the whole sleepover.

“Thanks for coming out, Veronica. We’ll see you tomorrow.” 

Veronica went to open the door, but paused and turned around.  
Taking a chance, she wrapped her arms around Heather and pulled her into a hug.

Heather was a little taken aback at first, Veronica keeping her hold firm yet gentle.  
Then she started hugging back. Even though she was much smaller than Veronica, her hug was smothering but not in a bad way. It was like she really needed it. 

“I had a good time.” Veronica said, and she meant it. 

She slowly started pulling away and found Heather with the same shy expression she held the night before. She was swaying slightly, pulling at her fingers.

“We should hang out soon. You can come over anytime, okay?”

Heather gave a listful nod. “Okay.” 

They waved, and Veronica left the mansion. She took a second to look back on it, finding bright walls a little more inviting then she did before. Still a bit intimidating, but it had character. 

Once Veronica got home, she scrambled for her diary and plopped onto her bed. She was happy to finally have somewhere to jot her feelings down.

_**Dear Diary,** _

_**I survived my first Heathers sleepover, and a lot has changed.  
The truth is: the Heathers are actually human!** _

_**Maybe I should’ve realized it sooner, but then again it’s not like they wanted me to know.** _

_**I think it’s easier to villainize the people who are hurting people close to us. That, combined with the appearance of perfection they always have tricks me along with most of the school into not liking them while also wanting to be like them.** _

_**News flash: They’re not demons ripped from hell, and they’re not blank slate models who wandered off the page of Seventeen magazine.** _

_**They’re humans, with flaws and imperfections and fears but also admirable qualities.** _

_**Heather Duke is brash yet really smart when she wants to show it, Heather McNamara is easily influenced but has a big heart, and Chandler, well…** _

_**She’s still kind of a bitch.  
But she’s also a leader, with all that entails. Something’s telling me it’s gonna take a while for her to warm up to me. ** _

_**Don’t get me wrong: they’re not great people. They use their power over others to bully the people that are different. I understand now that they’re doing it to hide their own insecurities and to avoid being bullied themselves. That doesn’t make it okay, I just understand it now.** _

_**Maybe I can help them be better people?** _

_**It’s going to take time, but if I can make them more secure with themselves then things can change.** _

_**The Heathers deal with a lot. I can’t fathom everything McNamara has gone through, and that’s only from what I know after spending one night with her.** _

_**But they’re protective of each other. If they let me into their friendship circle, maybe I can add to that.** _

Veronica shook off the stinging in her wrist after writing the long entry. Standing up from her bed, she dug around in her overnight bag before planting herself in front of her full length mirror. 

The blue necklace dangled from her fingers. She watched as the sapphire gleamed in the light, slowly connecting the chain behind her neck and doing the clasp.

Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, Veronica smiled.  
She might have joined the Heathers for other reasons, but the possibility of new friends was the best outcome she could’ve imagined.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's the end!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who leaves feedback in the comments, it really means a lot and helps me grow as a writer~
> 
> (If anyone was curious, the reason why I made the setting modern is because it was really important to me that Tangled was Mac's favourite movie in the context of this fic)
> 
> Until the next fic I write (and hopefully don't butcher!)


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